Soccer and Shinigamis
by Pendragon's Girl
Summary: Don't own the series. look inside for full summary! M for future language...
1. It Begins

**Summary: **What would you think if you found out that you were the only child of a high ranking Soul Society officer? This is the story of how Alexandria "Field Mouse Alexandria" Hatake came to find out she was going to be trained as both Soul Reaper and as General of the American based Soul Society and how she ended up meeting the love of her life in Toshiro Hitsugaya. Read on simple readers and review where needed.

Name: Alexandria Hatake (分野マウスアレキサンドリア - Field Mouse Alexandria)

Age / DOB: 17 / May 30

Mom: Deceased

Dad: Unknown

Siblings: None

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 137 lbs

Hair: Light Brown (think lab tested mouse brown)

Eyes: Yellow Green

Race: Human / Soul Reaper

Gender: Female

Abilities: Unknown (Unknown Zanpakuto)

Friends: Jack Kurosai – 17; Sally Shirone – 17

Teachers: Toshiro Hitsugaya, 10th Division Captain; Renji Abarai, 6th Division Lieutenant

Chapter 1 – How it Started

"Hey, Jack! Hey, Sally!" I called. "What's up? Can you believe all the drills that coach made us do? The first candid game is tomorrow! And it's against a Japanese team, no less! I hear that soccer is big in Japan, especially around Tokyo."

"Alex, sweetie, calm down," Jack replied. "Besides I was there, as was Sally. We are on the same team! You sound like you just took _ten_ caffeine pills on top of _three_ Mountain Dews. I hate candid games, especially against foreign teams. I am definitely going to be feeling this, this weekend!"

Sally, always the quiet one, smiled and shrugged. She always claimed that she loved listening to us two loudmouths talk and let off steam after a hard practice. How I was friends with her in the first place is completely beyond me.

"So who's up for dinner at my place?"

Jack looked at me funny and Sally shrugged. I never knew Dad and Mom died three years ago, so I was left to my own devices. That is until I met my two best friends, Jack and Sally. I usually just ate ramen, but after meeting them, I started to enjoy cooking with each passing day. That is until six months ago when a short white-haired, emerald-eyed kid enrolled in our school. He introduced himself as one Toshiro Hitsugaya. Apart from the freakishly white hair and oddball green eyes, he was about a foot shorter that me and that's saying something. Apart from that, there aren't too many Asian people here in Northern California because they all hang out in Chinatown. I told him he could bunk with me until he found a place of his own (which he still has yet to do).

"Aren't you scared that your _'boyfriend'_ will get mad if you have friends over more than twice a week?" Jack asked, dramatically batting his eyelashes. "Besides, Mom made me promise to be home after soccer practice to help with dinner. And on top of everything, Dad's going to be late getting home, as per the norm these days."

"Daddy is almost the same way," Sally replied. "Mom hasn't been around too much after the twins were born, so I have to go home to deal with that on top of helping Daddy help make dinner. Sorry, Alex."

_Great,_ I thought. _Another lonely meal with the white-haired midget. That will be the third time this week that these two nerds have blown me off._

I hated the thought of eating alone with the cold hearted short stack for the third time in less than a week. I guess that I will cope somehow. I almost hate to admit this but I was kind of falling for the cold façade that he was giving those around him, especially me. I waved good-bye to my friends before we split up to go our separate ways. I climbed the stairs to my third story apartment. Just as I was opening the door, I felt the temperature drop that I had come to associate with the midget. Another thing I had learned to associate with him was the limp body on the couch and the black-clad "spirit" sitting on the porch railing. I knocked on the glass to get his attention. He started and turned. I gave him a little half wave and a mocking smile that told him I was ready for dinner whenever he was. He nodded and turned back to looking at the stars and whatever he was thinking about before I startled him.

_I can't believe that I'm falling for him,_ I thought irritably. _He's nothing but a cold-hearted bastard that cares nothing about the way people feel. Six months ago I was going all goggle eyed over Hitoshi Aku._

Three months after Shiro moved in, I found out that Hitoshi had half of the senior girls knocked up just after Homecoming.


	2. Renji Abarai

Chapter 2 – Renji Abarai

"Hey, Alex," Shiro said from my doorway. "I'm gong to be out for a while. I should be back by no later than three am. I promise. Don't wait up for me."

I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering what it would be like to kiss the cold tempered teen. I lifted my head just enough to glare at him before waving him away and letting my head drop back onto my pillow. I turned onto my side, setting my homework on the floor next to my bedside table. I set my alarm for five and closed my eyes.

"Will you shut up, Abarai? She might still be asleep. Besides she has classes and a game tonight against Karin's team. So shut up and quit making such a racket."

"I can hear you, you know," I said, rubbing sleep from my eyes. "So, Hitsugaya. Who is your red-headed friend? Or can he speak for himself?"

"I, my brunette beauty, am Renji Abarai," the tall red-head answered. "I am the lieutenant of the sixth division under Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, in the Gotei Thirteen of the Soul – oomph!"

"You already told her too much when you told her your name, you idiot. Sorry to wake you, Hatake-kun. I was hoping that this idiot here would be a little quieter when we arrived."

Renji was still rolling on the floor rubbing his head where Shiro had hit him. I had to smile. Unfortunately, I yawned in the same moment.

"What time is it anyway?" I asked. "It has to be close to two in the morning. And like you told him, I have classes and a game later."

"It's five," Shiro replied from the kitchen doorway. "And your alarm will be going off in about twenty seconds."

Sure enough, a loud buzzing from my bedside table told me that I had half an hour to get breakfast, take a shower, make lunch and get to the soccer field for morning practice. I switched it off and shoved my books and homework into my denim messenger bag.

"Forget breakfast and I already have your lunch made. You'll need all the practice you can get for the game tonight. Besides, doesn't the locker room have showers?"

"Oh, right. Get Renji registered for classes by seven. Classes start at seven-thirty, Red. See you at school, Hitsugaya!"

With that I grabbed both of my bags and met up with Jack and Sally just as they arrived at our usual meeting spot. I waved at them and we made our way to the soccer field. I almost headed back to the apartment for breakfast when Sally handed me a bagel with cream cheese in a sandwich bag. I draped my arm across her shoulders while attacking the bag with my teeth and free hand.

"What would I do without you, Sally? Is there anything that you would like to contribute, Jackie Boy? Unless, of course, that thermos has coffee in it just for me."

"Yeah, it's for you," he said. "BUT, you're not getting any until you finish that bagel. Understood?" I nodded. "Good."

No more than ten minutes later, I was sipping the scalding liquid. It needed a little more sweetener but other than that, Jack did a damn good job of getting everything I liked into a good cup of coffee. We walked like this for another twenty minutes before making it to the locker rooms. We changed quickly and headed to the field. I noticed the banners already hanging from the stands on both sides. The ones on the stands farthest from the school had Japanese writing on them in addition to the English alphabetized versions so the people that came out to the game from our side could read them. The opposing team wouldn't be in until after lunch, so our team had the advantage of being fresh instead of suffering from jetlag.

An hour and a half later, everyone split up and went to their respective shower areas. I stood under my assigned shower head, allowing the hot water to wash away all the sweat and grass grim that I had acquired during practice. I quickly shampooed my hair before rubbing soap suds all over.

"Hey, Alex," Sally said just loud enough to be heard over the running water. "What do you think it will be like to face a foreign team so early in the year? I mean, it sounds exciting, but I'm scared about it. We'll be facing a team that might be better than us, you know? I just hope that Mom will show."

"She will, Sally. Trust me. And besides, there is absolutely no reason to be scared of a few Asian kids. The only kids you need to worry about are either African or from somewhere south of the border. So all you need to worry about is getting us that winning goal tonight. Now let's get to the school before Hitsugaya has a fit over me not being there to show his new friend around."

That got her laughing. We finished up in the locker room before making our way to the school courtyard. Shortly after our arrival, I saw Renji's tall, red-headed, tattooed form point us out to Shiro. I waved at him. The crowds separating us parted and the temperature dropped a good fifteen or twenty degrees by the time Shiro reached us.

"We've been waiting for you for half an hour," Shiro hissed at me. "Where have you been?"

"Well, gee, let me think," I stated sarcastically. "I had to take a shower after practice because I didn't want to smell like sweat and grass all day. Now if you don't mind, I would like to show Red to his classes before I'm late for my own."

I started walking away when I ran into Jack. I glared at him and he backed off. He asked Sally what my problem was when I spun around and shouted at Renji to hurry up and follow me if he didn't want to get lost.

"And you, Jack," I shouted at my best guy friend, "should know that he's not my fucking boyfriend! Just because he's been staying with me for six months doesn't mean we're fucking dating! Come on, Red!"

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was spun around and pulled into a tight hug. I was so mad at myself for losing my temper like that, so I started crying. I balled my fists into the shirt of the one person that I thought I was comfortable with. I pulled away just enough to see that it wasn't my Shiro. It was Renji Abarai. I buried my face in his shirt again, only this time it was from embarrassment. When I was sure that both emotions were back under my control, I heard the bell ring for morning classes.

"Damn," I muttered, wiping my face. "I guess I always could ask Mr. Smith for a note to show you around, Red. Sorry I yelled at you like that, Jack. You didn't have to wait for me, Hitsugaya. I need to see your schedule, Red, so that I can see…what…classes…"

His schedule mirrored mine exactly. I stood there for a few seconds before I felt Jack push me toward Trigonometry. I sat in my seat, Jack and Sally on either side and Shiro behind me. Renji stayed behind at the door, waiting for the teacher to introduce him.

"Good morning, everyone," Mr. Leechman greeted. "It seems we have yet another new edition to our class this year. This is Renji Abarai. He just transferred into this wonderful institution from Japan. If you would, could you please tell us a little about yourself, Mr. Abarai?"

I heard Shiro shift in his seat so that he could glare at the sixth division lieutenant. I knew that it meant for Renji to not go into any great detail about where he was really from. Jack snickered, Sally smiled and I rolled my eyes for the second time in twenty-four hours.


	3. Shinigami Training, Pt 1

Chapter 3 – Shinigami Training, Pt 1

Later that day, after everyone not on the soccer team filled in the bleachers, Jack, Sally and I made our way to the locker rooms. Upon our arrival, I noticed Shiro and Renji in the school side stands at the very top. Renji was looking for me in a rather desperate manner before I waved up at him. He waved and grinned like an idiot. Being that PhysEd was the last class of the day for us seniors, we just stayed in our work out uniforms. The only thing we had to change about them was the bottoms. Sally, me and the other girls ducked under the metal bleachers to change our shorts.

"…and introducing the hometown wonders of Academic Options High School, the AOHS Tigers," the announcer called over the loudspeakers.

Just as the boys were coming out of the locker room, we joined them from under the bleachers. I high-fived Jack as Sally and I caught up to him. He smiled and returned the gesture. When we were in our designated area in front of the school side bleachers, I looked over my shoulder to see Renji looking for me again. I whistled and waved before I managed to catch his attention. He waved back with the world's goofiest grin on his face.

"Please put your hands together for the soccer extraordinaires from Karakura Town, Tokyo, Japan, the Karakura Turtles!"

When I saw then opposing team, I noticed that they were a bunch of elementary school aged girls. One of them had straight black hair and looked to be bored half out of her mind. There were no more than thirty people in the Japanese stands, but only three…no make that five…people stood out to me. Two were in black like Shiro's spirit form: one had dark hair pulled back in a covered bun and the other had a mane of reddish blonde waves. One of the two male figures had bright orange hair while the other had to be in his late forties with a salt and pepper half beard. The last figure was smaller than the rest and had hair that had to be a shade darker than the orange haired boy next to her. The latter two were cheering like no tomorrow for the team opposite us.

"Can you believe these people? They act like kids in a candy store."

Jack snorted, Sally actually sniggered and I snuck another glance over my shoulder to see Renji staring at me and practically drooling. Shiro nudged him in the ribs and he managed to pull himself together enough to enjoy the game. I looked back at Boredom (a/n: that would be Karin) and glared daggers at her for a good ten seconds.

_Let's do this, chick,_ I thought at her.

It was a good two hours later and the score was tied at two a piece. I dribbled the ball a little before kicking it to Jack. He kicked it around a few of the smaller girls, including Boredom, before passing it to Sally. She in turn kicked it past the goalie's head for the game winning goal. A loud buzzer went off while the entire team hoisted Sally up onto their shoulders. The "Turtles" were slow to keep up with us so I guess the name fit them well enough. Jack and I hugged, shouting and yelling for joy in each other's ears along with the rest of the team.

"Are you three done yet? We've got to get back for dinner."

Shiro and his temper. I glared at him for ruining our moment but the team managed to get back to the locker to make plans for the next two days. I grabbed my sports bag and met the two freaks at the door to the locker room. I waved to Jack and Sally telling them that I would call them later to make plans the next day. I followed Renji and Shiro to the third-story apartment that the three of us were sharing about a block from the school. After closing the door behind me, I dropped my gym bag by the door-jam and made a bee line for the shower. Not surprisingly, Shiro stopped me by the couch.

"We need to talk about something very important," he stated. "Sit down. You can take a shower when we're done in here. Care to join us, Abarai?"

The red-head walked in from the kitchen, a chunk of cheese in his hand. Shiro sat cross-legged on the floor while Renji plopped down on the couch next to me. I gave Shiro a look that told him to make it quick. He took a deep breath and let it out through his nose. He pinched the bridge of his nose as if in annoyance of my glares and looks.

"First and foremost, we are Shinigami, or Soul Reapers. We protect the living from beings called Hollows and Vizards. General Yamamoto and Captain Komamura did some rather extensive research about you and your family before sending us here to find you. Your mother was a Shinigami, like us, only on a much more powerful level before she was killed by a former subordinate turned Vizard. She was the General of the North American bound Soul Reapers. By protecting you from that same Vizard, she handed both her position and her power to you. In order for you to come completely into that inheritance, you will need to be trained by either one of us or both at all times. When we think that you are capable of holding your own, we will send you to General Yamamoto for your officer training. Do you understand, Hatake-kun?"

"I think I do," I answered. "So basically, Mom was a Soul Reaper before she was killed, protecting me. After she was killed by that Vizard, her position of general and her power were passed on to me. But in order for me to get that status and that power I have to go into some kind of special training under either you and, or Red. After that, I will be trained by this General Yamamoto person. Does that sound about right, Hitsugaya?"

He was looking at me with a shocked look in his eyes. Renji on the other hand looked about ready to fall off the couch from both boredom _AND_ exhaustion. I poked him in the ribs before returning my attention to the short ice cold freak sitting before me. He had managed to somehow regain his icy composure before snorting at my short-handed paraphrased version of what he had just told me. I smiled at him. What can I say? I'm a quick learner.

"Never ceases to amaze me," he muttered. "Alright, Abarai. This is where you come in with all the Kido stuff. I'll have to get Yoruichi-san over here to go more in depth about it all."

"I'm no good with stuff like that, Taichou," Renji retorted. "I'm exhausted. Wake me up when you get a hold of her. I'll be in the bath tub. Tell Kiskue that I need more Soul Candy while you're at it."

"Before you get comfortable, Red, I need to take a shower more than anything."

Renji stopped in his tracks. I stood and pushed past him to get my pajamas and some clean underwear. I went into the bathroom and shut door, locking it in the process. I turned the water on and stripped out of my sweaty grass stained soccer uniform before stepping under the hot water.

_Man, this feels good,_ I thought to myself. _Why couldn't Shiro have waited until I was done with this before telling me all that stuff about Mom? I want my old life from before Mom died three years back. Dear God, what have I done to deserve this?_

"Think fast!"

I immediately dropped to my hands and knees as I felt a draft run across the exposed flesh along my spine. I turned my head to the left slightly to see a sword of some kind buried in the wall. I reached around the curtain to grab my towel off the toilet to wrap it around my 5'9", hundred and thirty-seven pound frame.

"I could get used to this," I heard from the doorway. "You might want to get the locks changed in this place before stuff like this happens everyday, girlie."

I looked up to see the orange-haired boy from the soccer game. The way he was dressed told me that he was like Shiro and Renji. He was a Soul Reaper. I glared long and hard at him before turning the water off.

"Shiro! Red! There's a perverted freak in my bathroom! Get him out before I start kicking some major ass in here!"

"Trust me to piss off the girl that's staying with Hitsugaya and Abarai. Karin is going to kill me when I get back to the hotel."

Shiro and Renji barged in without so much as a knock. (a/n: then again they didn't need to, right?) Renji started laughing before grabbing Orange in a headlock and giving him what Mom always called Noogies with his free hand. I faintly heard something along the lines of itchy go.

"Let go, Renji," Orange said. "I promise to never walk in on a girl in the shower again. I swear! Now GET OFF, DAMMIT!"

Somehow, Orange managed to wiggle out of Renji's grip but not before he was tackled in the hallway by Shiro. Renji smiled and closed the door behind himself. Finally I was left to my own thoughts. I dried my shoulder length light brown hair and wrapped it up in my towel. I grabbed another towel from under the sink to dry off my still damp skin. After that I pulled on my pajamas and brushed my teeth. When I spit out the frothy part of the toothpaste, I straightened up to see that Orange's _HUMAN_ body was standing there like nobody's business. I turned. I used my momentum to swing a hard sucker punch at his right cheek. I had a twitch working on the corner of my left eye and my hand was starting to hurt.

"GET OUT, YOU PERVERT!"

The door was opened for a second time that night. Shiro grabbed him by his collar and dragged him out into the living room. I gathered up my dirty uniform and crossed the hall to my bedroom. I dropped the bundle under my left arm into the laundry basket before taking the towel around my hair off and putting it in the same place. I grabbed a brush off my dresser and began yanking it through the tangled mess that was my hair. When that was done, I stretched my sore muscles and made my way to the living room. Upon my arrival, I saw a brown and yellow something coming _AT MY FACE_. I ducked and the object landed in the hallway with a muffled "oomph." Shiro's two forms were trying to keep Orange and Renji from getting at each other's throats. The thing that was aimed at my head brushed past my legs and began running around calling something out over and over again. It sounded like rue key ah.

"Hey, guys! If you two colored freaks are fighting over me, then forget it. I'm taken. Get over yourselves and let's get this done and over with. I'm worn out after that game against that Japanese team."

"Meet Ichigo Kurosaki, Hatake-kun. He is a little higher up than you, but he still has a lot to learn. If it takes you less than three days to reach Bankai, then you can split your time between us and General Yamamoto. Understood?"


	4. Shinigami Training, Pt 2

Chapter 4 – Shinigami Training, Pt 2

I nodded while I sat down between Renji and Ichigo. I let my left elbow rest on Ichigo's right shoulder as I listened to Shiro talk to someone on his cell phone in Japanese. I felt Ichigo tense at the mention of his name and Renji laughed at a joke about headbands and some expensive sunglasses. The more I listened to him, the more I seemed to understand.

"Yes, Urahara-Taichou," he was saying. "Renji needs more Soul Candy and I want Yoruichi over here as soon as you can spare her. Ichigo's family should be back in Japanese airspace in the next few days. Tell her to call me when she reaches the American Soul Society. Yes. Thank you. Tell Chad and Orihime they can come when school lets out. Alright. Thanks, Urahara-Taichou."

He hit the end button before looking at me and the two guys on the couch.

"You're getting your Soul Candy, Abarai. Yoruichi should be here in a few days. Chad and Orihime insisted on wanting to come but you heard me tell Kisuke to force them to stay there until summer vacation. The least you can do, Abarai, is explain the Soul Candy concept. Shut up about Rukia, Kon! She has other duties other than chasing you!"

The small yellow and brown lion shaped toy immediately stopped running around and slumped to a corner behind the couch to cower and mutter about this Rukia person. I almost laughed but was stopped by a rather large yawn. Before I knew it, Renji had me in his arms and was making his way to my room. I was too worn out to complain and fight, so I just laid my head on his shoulder.

_He smells nice_, I thought to myself. _Why is it that guys I usually hate always smell so damn good when I'm half asleep? Why couldn't it have been Shiro to carry me to my room? Maybe because he was too short!_

"Want me to sleep in here tonight? I don't mind sleeping on the floor."

"No, I'm alright. Besides, how do I know that you won't do anything perverted to me while I'm asleep?"

He shrugged as if to say, _I tried_. He turned and left the room. I laid back on my bed and I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

I had a dream that night. Or at least I thought it was dream. All I can really remember about it was the fact that it was storming out and I felt a small warm body press into my back. I turned over and an arm snaked around my waist. I slowly opened my eyes, not wanting the moment to end. It didn't. I looked down at the small figure of Shiro.

"Rangiku," he mumbled.

"It's okay, Taichou," I told him. "I'm here. It'll pass over soon. I promise."

His eyes fluttered and I pulled him close as a comfort to both of us. I felt him begin to tremble as I continued to hold him for the remainder of the night.

The next morning, Shiro was still held against me even though the storm from the night before had passed. I smiled and slowly got out of bed. He moaned when my waist was no longer in his grasp and he began reaching out for me. I quickly handed him my pillow. He latched onto it, a small smile flitting across his petite features. I grabbed a shirt, a pair of pants and some fresh underwear before making my way to the bathroom across the hall.

"Hey, Hatake! Where's Toshiro? And we're hungry!"

"Shut up, Orange!" I hissed at him. "He's in my room, still asleep. You'll get breakfast when I get done in the bathroom. Hey, Red. When he wakes up, tell him to start breakfast."

Ichigo looked like a fish out of water and Renji nodded at my request. I shut the bathroom door behind me and leaned against it. I let out a hefty sigh of relief when something soft and rough brushed against my left calf. The twitch by my left eye kicked in as I grabbed the stuffed toy roughly by the head. I opened the door to kick him out in the hallway when I came face-to-face with Shiro.

"Do you mind keeping this crackhead toy out of my bathroom? I don't want him gawking at me like he was last night when I was getting ready for bed."

"How did I get in your bed, Hatake-kun? I think it was storming out last night, but I can't really remember. Abarai! Keep Kon busy for a while so I can get breakfast."

"Long story, Taichou," I mumbled as he walked away toward the kitchen.

I heard Renji and Ichigo arguing about something when I made double sure to double lock the door and start the water. I stripped down to my underwear when I heard a soft _THUMP_ against the door. Only Kon would seek the protection of a woman after an argument with Renji. I rolled my eyes and kicked at the door. I took my underwear off before stepping under the hot streaming water. I shampooed my hair and rinsed it out before applying my favorite conditioner. I got the soap bar lathered up before rubbing it everywhere that I could reach.

Fifteen minutes later, all of use were seated in the living room eating a decent Japanese breakfast. Renji and Ichigo were having a contest to see who could eat the most pickled plums in one sitting. They were down to the last one and glaring at each other. I got it off the plate and ate it myself before they could glare holes through my walls.

"There, you're even," I stated around a mouthful of plum and rice. "Now finish your breakfast so that we can move on with the lessons and training."

Renji looked flat-out put down and Ichigo deadpanned. Nonetheless, breakfast was finished and Shiro vouched to clean the dishes. He told us to go ahead without him as he disappeared into the kitchen balancing dirty plates and bowls in both hands.

"For starters," Renji said, "Soul Candy isn't really candy. It's a dispenser that puts a replacement soul into your body while you are in Soul Reaper form. That way, your friends and family don't really know that you, as a soul, are gone. Unless you get one like Kon or the one Rukia has. That usually tends to put people off when your body starts acting outside of your usual habits and whatnot. Right, Hitsugaya-Taichou?"

"Exactly," Shiro agreed, towel in hand. "I took the pleasure of ordering you some NORMAL Soul Candy while you were in the shower, Hatake-kun. As soon as that comes in with Yoruichi-san, we can begin the real training. Until then, you will just have to sit and watch while Abarai and I train Ichigo. Alright, Kon, out you come. You heard me, you little twerp!"

The stuffed lion cowered away from the ice wielder, who just so happened to have a red fingerless glove on his right hand. It had an unusually shaped skull on the back surrounded by black and blue flames. He hit the toy hard on the forehead and a small ball popped out of its mouth. Shiro held it up for me to see before handing it to Ichigo. The orange-haired boy popped in his mouth and swallowed it whole. He seemed to split in two. One version was wearing the uniform of a Soul Reaper and the other was wearing the usual Saturday outfit.

"See? That's how Soul Candy works," Renji explained. "See that glove that Hitsugaya-Taichou is wearing? It sort of works the same way, only more painful. I would rather have Soul Candy than have Kuchiki-Taichou use the glove any day. If you piss any of the Captains off, they either threaten you with the glove or force, which tends to be more painful than the glove. Trust me. Take the Soul Candy whenever you can get it."

"It's true," Ichigo stated. "Rukia had to use force on me a couple times and boy did it hurt. Especially the first time after getting my powers. Is there like a park or open clearing around here that we can use for training?"

"Yeah. There's an open air soccer field a few miles north of here. Take me with you. Please?"

Shiro rolled his eyes, Renji smiled evilly and Ichigo snorted at the thought. Kon, in Ichigo's human body, gasped. Shiro resituated his glove and smirked at me.

"Be ready because this might be painful."

I braced myself for a hard hit on the forehead. What I didn't expect was the hit to the chin that forced my head back, almost snapping my neck. I heard a really odd sucking noise and my body throbbed in time to three of my heart beats. I fell backwards onto the couch. I blinked a few times to try to get my surroundings about me when I heard Ichigo say something.

"She took that better than I did. Rukia didn't even give me fair warning when she did that to me. Are we getting soft, Toshiro?"

"Shut it, Kurosaki. I don't need your judgment when it comes down to doing what I do. Besides, next time Kon isn't around and Rukia has to use her glove, think of today."

"It definitely felt different," I stated from the couch. "Does it always feel this unrestricting? I mean, I could live like this forever. Imagine how many kids I can have without getting stretch marks. And imagine not getting old and wrinkled until I hit the thousand year mark."

"Whatever. Let's just get to where we're going before someone comes by."

I attempted to walk over to where Ichigo was standing. I ended up tripping over my limp body. Renji fortunately caught me before I face-planted on the carpet beneath the glass topped coffee table.

"Thanks, Red. Why don't we move the bodies without Soul Candy where people won't see them? How about the bathroom? There aren't any windows so nobody can look in and think we're dead… okay that came out wrong. By the way, Red, how responsible is your Soul Candy?"

"Responsible enough to keep Kon away from any and all limp female forms. Aren't you coming with us, Taichou? I thought for sure that you would want to have some kind of input on Ichigo's training. I mean, I don't want to push you to it, but…"

"Don't you feel that reiatsu, Abarai? It could only mean one thing. Get your happy ass out there and see who it is, you idiot!"

Renji deadpanned before opening the door to the porch and jumping away. Ichigo went to go follow him but I stopped him by shutting the door in his face. He near about threw a fit but not before I could touch his lips with mine. I pulled away to see the shocked look on his face. Kon started to stutter about something before wailing and running into my bedroom. I heard him throw himself onto the bed and begin crying into a pillow.

"Hey, Kon! What about Rukia? She only did that to keep from following Renji out the damn window, you bonehead!"

"Like I told you last night," I said, looking at the substitute Soul Reaper, "my heart belongs to someone else. I just hope that his icy heart can melt enough to accept me as I am."

With that last part, I looked at Shiro. He frowned and popped some of his own Soul Candy so that his human body could comfort the Mod Soul that was currently on my bed crying like a baby over a spoiled birthday cake. I can't believe that I was stuck with two idiots (make that three with Renji) and a short white-haired, green eyed freak that had a Yankee accent.

"So how are we getting there, Hitsugaya? Do I get to ride piggy-back with Ichi-kun? Or do I get to learn how to do what Red just did to get there?"

I hated using the "Valley girl" attitude but it definitely came in handy when I wanted to get into a club where a decent band was playing on Friday nights after soccer games. At this point, Shiro slapped me across my left cheek.

"What the shit was that for? What did I ever do to you, you short shit?"

"I've been losing patience with you from day one, Hatake. Normally I don't hit women, but I will if the need should arise. I should be decommissioned for striking the daughter of a high ranking Soul Reaper officer except on the basis that you need training in more areas than one. I will not tolerate anymore attitude out of you, Hatake. Next time, I might not be so lenient. And you should know that General Yamamoto doesn't take well to attitude problems either."

"Says who, Captain?"

Shiro and Ichigo immediately went down on bended knee at this comment. Renji was helping an elderly looking man in through the porch door. The old man had an X shaped scar on his left temple and a rather long white beard that looked to be braided with leather straps.

"I didn't mean, General…"

"I understand, Captain. Unfortunately, you are still young, even by Seireitei standards. It's a wonder that you managed to help in the training of young Kurosaki here along with the other captains and Urahara's people at his shop. Now, my young beauty. Come and tell me as much as you can remember until you met young Toshiro here six months past."

It was an excruciatingly long process because I had to go through as many of my memories from the time I was about three until the meeting with Shiro six months ago. I stretched a few of them from my younger days and I went through my last memories of Mom in tears. When I was done, the man before me smiled genuinely and pulled me into a tight hug.


	5. Shinigami Training, Pt 3

Chapter 5 – Shinigami Training, Pt 3

After crying on the old man's shoulder for a good five minutes, I pulled away and wiped the leftover tears from my cheeks. I looked around me to see that we were no longer in my apartment.

"Where are we?" I asked, sniffling. "Great. Just what I need. I'm in a place that I don't recognize and I look like a royal mess."

"Look closely and you will see that we are in my office and living quarters, child," Oldies said. "I will be taking over your overall training from now on. Captain, you are hereby relieved of your training duties to this young lady. Lieutenant, go back and look over her friends and their families until further notice. Ichigo, I need you to fill out some paperwork. I am going to have to pull some strings to get you into the General position for the American Soul Society until this young lady here is ready. You are dismissed, gentlemen."

The look on Ichigo's face was absolutely priceless. I almost laughed but I got choked up on the tears I just got finished letting out. That's when I noticed the desk in one corner and a few beds in the opposite corner from the desk. I smiled at my crappy observation skills. I went to ask if Shiro could stay. Unfortunately, he beat me to it.

"If you don't mind, General, I would like to stay with Hatake. I would like to talk to her about something that she said before your untimely arrival. I promise that it won't take long. Afterwards, I will be on my way to my quarters."

"Of course, Captain. I have paperwork of my own to finish."

The much older Shinigami left us and shuffled over to his desk. I looked over at the midget with a cocked eyebrow as if to say, _What do you want to talk about?_

"What you said earlier got me thinking about something. It's a feeling that I have felt toward only one other woman in my life. She is currently the acting Captain of the Fifth Division. After she took the position, I never got to see her as often only because she doesn't have an acting lieutenant. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that you are the only other woman apart from her that could melt the ice around my heart. However, you have melted more than she ever could."

"Oh, Shiro," I whispered pulling the shorter man into a tight hug.

He hesitantly wrapped his arms around my waist and balled his fists into the back of my top. He began trembling and I heard a choked sob escape his lips. I sat down hard, pulling him with me. I'm not real sure how long we sat there like that but I was startled out my thoughts when General Yamamoto cleared his throat.

"What do I do, General?"

"Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, I do believe that you are in love with my young steed here. Take her back to your quarters and get to know the girl. I knew this day would come. That is why I sent you to her, young man. Make sure he doesn't do anything that he might regret later."

He winked at that last comment. I smiled at him and Shiro helped me to stand after letting me go. The soft look in those emerald ice-green orbs clenched at my heart in more ways than one. He grabbed my right hand and laced our fingers together.

"Thank you, General," he muttered. "I guess that this means that we _are_ dating now, right, Hatake?"

"Call me Alex, Shiro," I told him.

He smiled and led me to his quarters in the Tenth Division building.

Upon our arrival, I saw the strawberry blonde from the soccer game draped over a table asleep. I noticed the bottle by her left elbow and guessed that she had drunk _a little too much_ sake and was sleeping a hangover off. I moved to lay a hand on her shoulder but Shiro held me back.

"Leave her be. She's always getting drunk. Or at least has been since Gin left. She must have been waiting for me to get back. My personal room is this way, Alex. When she comes too, she will have a massive headache on top of all the paper work that I need her to do. Come on."

I followed the genius ice wielder to a room with a door marked HITSUGAYA TOSHIRO, Captain. I smiled at my lover when he closed the door behind me. A small smile graced his small features.

"So what now?" I asked. "General Yamamoto told us to get to know each other on a much more personal level. I guess that this where we start talking about our more personal lives. However, being that you already know everything I can remember, this is where you come in and tell me about you. So start talking, Shorty."

He grew up in Junrinan, which was considered the First District of Rukongai, with his grandmother and the girl from the Fifth Division, Momo Hinamori. He also claimed a friendship with the West Gate Keeper, Jidanbo, who in turn taught him the "city rules." He never got along well with others, the two main exceptions being his Grandmother and Momo. He and Momo would always tease each other with the names Little Shiro (which is appropriate) and Bed Wetter Momo. He always claimed to have had dreams about a plain of ice which he believes is where he died in a previous life. Then Momo left for the Soul Reaper Academy. Five years after that was when he met Rangiku Matsumoto, the woman asleep on the table in the dining area. She was having an argument with a merchant over some change when she felt his spiritual pressure. That night he had another dream about the same plane of ice only this time he claims to have met the spirit that resides in his sword. Matsumoto scolded him for not keeping his power under control because he was unwittingly freezing his grandmother. So she pushed him into joining the ranks of students at the Academy. He graduated earlier than his peers and is known as a child genius. He quickly rose through the ranks until he reached the position that he was in as Captain of the Tenth Division, making him Matsumoto's superior officer.

"So, that's it in a nutshell? Your life was so much more exciting than mine ever was."

"Yes. And until I met you, I always thought that I would spend the rest of my life chasing after Momo Hinamori. Now that I have you…"

He nuzzled my cheek and found my ticklish spot just under my bottom rib. I giggled before turning my head enough until our lips met in a passionate kiss. His mouth worked mine until I let his tongue have admittance into my mouth. His tongue traced everything while his hands rubbed along my waist. I was the first to pull away.

"Maybe this is taking it a little too fast," I mumbled. "We really should take it a little…slower…"

His hands were starting to roam along my waist and running along the tops of my thighs, his mouth reclaiming mine in another passionate kiss. I gave in, moaning into his mouth and straddled his hips. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, and buried my hands in his spiky white hair. I pulled away when I heard a knock on the door. I went to go answer it but Shiro speed stepped around me. It was Rangiku.

"Yes, Matsumoto? Get as much done tonight as you can. I'll finish it up tomorrow. I know that you have a headache but I will have a bigger one than you if you even try worming your way out of it. Now go on and leave me alone for the night."

He shut the door and leaned against the dark wood. I mouthed the word _FINALLY_ and waved him to me.

"You know what, Alex? Let's get some sleep. I, personally, am exhausted. I don't know about you, but I need my sleep. There is a bathroom and fresh sleeping garments in that corner for you to use. I'll be right here waiting for you, my love."

I smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to the palm of my left hand. I kissed him on the forehead to see if I could get a reaction. He snorted and pushed me toward the indicated bathroom.

"Go get clean before I kick you out to the locals," he ordered.

I laughed at my accomplishment in getting a decent reaction out of him. I looked in the corner for some decent pajamas but all I could find was a short and sheer looking nightgown. I rolled my eyes, threw it back in the pile and grabbed some clean underwear. After shutting the door behind me, I leaned against it and let out the second sigh of the last three days.

_Why me? Dear God, why me? Why did you make me fall in love with the short stack freak? I would have been happy with Renji or Ichigo. KON would have been a nice choice. Why Shiro?_

Twenty minutes later, I was in my white "under-uniform" while I was laying next to my Shiro, my head on his shoulder and my left index finger tracing lazy circles over his smooth, pale, muscled chest.

"Do you really love me, Shiro?"

"What makes you think that I don't? Like I told you earlier, you are the one that melted the ice around my heart. You melted more than Momo even did. My heart is yours, my little field mouse."

I smiled at his nickname for me. Before I knew it, my eyelids didn't want to stay open any longer. I looked Shiro in the eye and puckered my lips. A quick peck from my lover and I was out like a lightbulb. Before my hearing went away completely, I heard Shiro tell me that he really did love me.


	6. Lovers and Friends

Chapter 6 – Lovers and Friends

The next thing I remember is Shiro kissing along my neck and his hands were running through my hair. I traced along his nose, then his cheek and finally down his jaw. I felt the muscles pull around his jaw line and I knew that he knew that I was awake.

"Morning, Snow White," I grumbled after a quick kiss. "I could get used to this. It feels good but in the wrong kind of way."

"Morning to you, too, Field Mouse. What can we do with our day today?"

"You could show me around the city for starters. It's usually a good idea for people like you to show people like me around places like the Soul Society. I promise to be good, Shiro. Please?"

"Yeah, sure," he muttered, sniffing the air. "I need to finish that paperwork from last night like I promised Rangiku or I'll never hear the end of it. There's coffee and bagels in the kitchen. Momo used to leave me breakfast after I became Captain. She must have seen us together last night. She didn't go all out like she used to though. Meet me in the kitchen in an hour."

That was the most I heard him talk apart from the night before when he told me about himself. The muscles in his back rippled as he laced his fingers above his head and stretched, knuckles and vertebrae cracking loudly in the silence. I wanted to reach out and touch those rippling muscles, but Shiro stepped out reach before I could.

"Paperwork can wait, Shiro," I told him, stubbornly. "Why can't that Matsumoto girl finish it? She seems capable enough. I'm not trying to bad mouth her but you look like you could use a day or two off. When was the last time you had fun, Shiro?"

He grunted before pulling a ragged looking shirt on over his head. I took it as a _It's been too long so why bother?_ kind of grunt. I shook my head and scratched at my left eyebrow absentmindedly before getting out of bed myself. I angrily yanked on the rest of my uniform before sniffing my way to the coffee.

An hour, two cups of coffee and three bagels later, Shiro stumbled into the kitchen and very nearly hit his head on the counter edge. I stood and speed stepped to his side so as to avoid it.

"Shiro! What happened? You look like you ran into a gang or something. Please tell me what happened, baby."

I helped him to sit down in a nearby chair as I took his face in my palms. That's when I noticed the cut above his right eyebrow and the hurt look in his ice-green eyes. Tears were building up in his bottom lid and were threatening to fall before I pulled him close to me. I ignored the blood leaking from his cut as I simply held my lover close to me. I felt him trembling as he cried.

"I had to come back," he stuttered. "After I found out that Rangiku had finished the paperwork, I decided to check up on Kon and the rest. When they told me that HE was there looking for you, I had to come back to make sure that you were still here and not lying dead on the table. I can't lose you now that I had only just found you."

"Who is coming for me? You aren't making any sense, Snow White."

"Aizen is coming, Mouse. He's after you. I will teach you how to fight him and his Zanpakuto. Promise me that you will fight him when the time comes. You are so precious to me, my Field Mouse."

Whoever this Aizen guy was, I promised him that I would fight. I sat him down in his chair before making my way to the kitchen for a clean damp clothe to get all the blood off of my lover. I heard shuffling footsteps behind me stop at the doorway. I glanced over my shoulder to see Shiro standing there with more tears in his eyes and pressing a sleeve to the open wound above his eyebrow. I turned around and pointed at his seat. He immediately went to it and sat down looking even more hurt than when he came in. I squatted in front of him, pressing the damp clothe against the deep cut. The sharp intake of breathe and the firm grip on my wrist told me that he needed a second to get over the initial pain. My free hand cupped his cheek and I pulled him to me for a kiss.

"Whoever this Aizen guy is, we will defeat him when he comes for me, TOGETHER, baby. Our love for each other will protect us. It is our bond to one another. Just try not to die on me between now and the time that he comes for me. I promise that we will make it through anything, so long as we have each other."

The corner of his mouth twitched in a sorry attempt at a smile. I began to softly rub the clothe over the cut, the thought of having that vice-like grip on my wrist still fresh in my memory. By the time I was done, Shiro had almost fallen asleep. I handed him a cup of coffee and he straightened up a little. I had to smile at his simple childlike innocence before his first cup of coffee in the morning. I let him finish half of the black liquid before asking him to explain what he heard about Aizen coming for me.

"From what I got off of Kon, Abarai and Ichigo, it's not much more than what Yama-Ji's sources told us. All I know is that Aizen originally sent Gin Ichimaru, formerly third division captain, to spy on you, so that he could know all of your daily habits. After I came to look after you, Kaname Tosen, formerly the ninth division captain, took over for Gin because Aizen thought that Tosen would fit in better with his dark complexion. After Tosen confirmed what Gin was reporting about your daily routines, Aizen pulled him back. Especially after he somehow got news of me being there and hearing that Abarai was to come and serve as backup incase I either died or was deemed incapable of defending you. Are we done here? I think that it's time for us to tour the city before meeting up with Yama-Ji for your training."

"Tosen wouldn't happen to look like a dirt biker with dreadlocks and white eyes would he? We talked a little. By that I mean we talked about small stuff like old friends, politics and favorite foods. I always felt like he was looking right at me when we were talking even though he was blind."

"Tosen never really cared for politics from what I remember. That was before he followed Aizen to Hueco Mundo with Gin. I'll never forgive those three for what they did to Momo, Matsumoto, and Komamura. All three will pay for their actions. I swear it on my life as both Captain and Soul Reaper."

The deathly gleam in his eyes worried me, so I tried calming him down as much as I could. I had to grab him hard by the shoulders and kiss him to get him out of his_ I WANT TO KILL_ funk.


	7. SOS

Chapter 7 – SOS (Think Rhianna)

When Shiro was finally calm enough for me to place a bandage over his wound, Rangiku showed up with Urahara and three others. How I knew that the blonde with the hat and the old-skool Japanese sandals was the shop owner is beyond my years. With him were two kids and a guy that looked a lot like Mom's younger brother, Anderson.

"This must be the young Genral-in-training, Alexandria Hatake. I, young lady, am Kisuke Urahara. These fine people with me work at my shop with me. This strapping young man here is Jinta Hanakari. He handles much of the heavy lifting that we old people can't handle. This old man here is Tessai Tsukabishi. He helps with all the paper work and the training of new Soul Reapers. And my princess here is Ururu Tsumugiya. She handles all of the cooking and organization of paperwork when we aren't around. Say hello to Hatake-kun, everyone."

Tessai, Jinta and Ururu expressed that it was their pleasure to meet my acquaintance. I smiled at them before claiming the chair next to Shiro. I leaned my head on his shoulder. He laid his head against mine before lacing our fingers together. I almost closed my eyes when Kisuke handed me something. It looked like a PEZ dispenser with a duck head. I saw the words SOUL CANDY printed on the side.

"Thanks, Kisuke," I mumbled. "Why am I so tired? It's only mid-day but my body is telling me that it's time to go back to bed. Care to join me, Shiro? I can't be left alone knowing that Aizne is on his way trying to find me. Please?"

"I thought that you wanted to see the city, Mouse? Guess it will have to wait until the threat from Aizen goes away. Is there anything else you want from us, Urahara-Taichou?if we're done here, we're spending the rest of the day in bed."

Kisuke handed Shiro another Soul Candy dispenser and a second cell phone. I shifted just enough so that my chin was resting on Shiro's shoulder. I looked at the screen on the phone to see that it was a text from Yoruichi.

MEET ME AT YAMA-JI'S QUARTER'S WHEN YOU GET THIS! I WILL BE THERE TO EXPLAIN KIDO TO HATAKE-KUN. SEE YOU SOON.

How I could read Japanese was probably from spending so much time with Shiro, Renji and Ichigo. I nuzzled Shiro's neck and he stiffened. He moved to push me away when I stood up and stretched. At least I was getting the chance to meet Yoruichi-san. Shiro shifted in his chair before joining me by the door.

Two hours later, we had left Rangiku, Kisuke and the rest at the Tenth Division building. Shiro and I stepped inside Yama-Ji's quarters. What I didn't expect was Yoruichi to be a dark skinned, purple haired woman with gold eyes. She was dressed in an orange vinyl jacket, a white tank, and dark pants with leg warmers and flexible brown dancer-like shoes. The arm warmers she was wearing looked like rabbit skins wrapped up with purple straps. Her gold eyes looked me up and down as I bowed to her.

"Greetings, Yoruichi-san. I am honored to become your student in Kido. I am a quick learner, as I am sure Shiro has told you."

"He is quite taken with you from what General Yamamoto tells me," she answered. "I can see why. Where did you say you were from, Hatake-kun? Hitsugaya-Taichou somehow left that out of his report for me."

"It's a small, soccer loving community in Northern California. Redding is the name of it. I am a student at Academic Options High School. My mother died three years ago. I have lived alone ever since. I am sure that General Yamamoto has already told you this. Shiro moved in six months ago and he has been living with me ever since."

Shiro fidgeted next to me and I tightened my grip on his hand to get him to calm down. Somehow I knew that he was like a 2-year-old that wanted to hide behind my legs to get away from the scrutinizing look that Yoruichi-san was giving him. He managed to hold his ground after I squeezed his hand in front of two of the most powerful and most formidable people he knows. I took a deep breath and bowed again to the Kido Spell Master. She whispered something to Yama-Ji about something concerning seated officers in the Fifth Division.

"If you don't mind me asking, General," I said straightening up. "What exactly are the requirements to become a seated officer in any Division? I would like to stay as close to Shiro as possible until this whole thing with Aizen floats over."

"Are there any openings in your Division, Captain?"

"I do believe that the fourth seat just opened, General. I will get the paper work drawn up and sent to you as soon as possible."

"No need. I have it here for you."

A folder was handed to Shiro. He opened it and his eyes widened in shock.

"Why would you want me to demote Matsumoto in the first place? She's a perfectly good lieutenant and I wouldn't want anyone to replace her. If she is too be replaced, then consider me resigned. I DO NOT want to demote my lieutenant."

"Oops! Wrong folder!"

Yama-Ji chuckled and handed Shiro a different folder. He relaxed when he opened it. I looked at it over his shoulder and saw that I was to be placed among his seated officers. He pointed to a number and said that I was to be ranked as third seat in the Tenth Division.

"I guess that this will qualify as my officer training, General? However, my initial question was never really answered. What are the REQUIREMENTS?"

"There aren't many for officers ten through twenty, Alex. For three through nine, some are doubled. The third seat in the Thirteenth is shared by Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentarō Kotsubaki. All you have to worry about is staying close and learning from those around you. It's not really that hard. I'll be around if you need me. I promise you, Field Mouse."

I mumbled thanks to him before I pulled him close for a kiss. It was at that precise moment that I realized that we were still in Yama-Ji's quarters. I almost KISSED my SUPERIOR OFFICER in front of the General of the Japanese Soul Society and the most recognized Kido Spell Master known this side of the Pacific Ocean. Shiro pulled me out of the building, smirking at my ignorance. When the door slammed behind us, Shiro shoved me up against the wall and ravaged my mouth with his in a passionate kiss. It was then that I knew that Shiro really did love me.

"I love you, Alexandria Hatake," he muttered when he pulled away. "I want you so bad, it's painful. Let me take you, my field mouse."

I nodded as he kissed, nibbled and sucked at the skin on my neck. He picked me up bridal and speed stepped back to his rooms in the Tenth Division building. When we got there, Rangiku, Kisuke, and Tessai were sitting at the table, drinking, while Jinta and Ururu were in the kitchen cleaning up dirty dishes. I didn't get the chance to see more when Shiro slammed the door and practically shoved me onto the bed. He began undressing me while he kissed me with all the passion that his small body could hold. I smiled around his kisses and gasped and moaned when he nibbled on my neck.


	8. Waiting for You

Chapter 8 – Waiting for You

Three hours later, we were lying underneath crisp white sheets, sweat bead covering our bodies. I was lazily tracing circles on his skin while he played with my hair.

"Why do you really love me, Shiro? Don't give me any of that 'ice melting' shit like you did last night, either. I want to know the _REAL_ reason."

"Am I not to love without reason, Mouse? I love you because I do, Alex. I didn't know I was searching for you until I moved in, even while I was chasing after Momo. She is more like a sister because we grew up together. Rangiku is the same way, only more like a favorite aunt or cousin. I love both women dearly but the reasons are completely different from why I love you. You are mine, now and forever, Mouse."

He started to nuzzle my cheek but it stopped when I heard a soft snoring in my ear. I rolled my eyes and snuggled closer to him. For an ice wielder, he gave off extreme amounts of body heat. For some stupid reason, a song came to mind. _Wait for You_ by Elliot Yamin. I guess that I was waiting for him, too, without even realizing it. Fortunately for me, Jackie Boy was gay. Otherwise we wouldn't be agreeing and arguing over music and the latest styles of the stars in southern California. I realized that I had been gone for a full twenty-four hours and wondered if Jack and Sally were beginning to worry about me or not. While these thoughts ran through my head, I felt my eyelids begin to droop as my body begged for rest after our short and sweet lovemaking session. I closed my eyes and pulled even closer to Shiro.

Surprisingly enough, I woke up before Shiro did, feeling better than I did the day before. I turned onto my stomach and began playing with his spiked white hair. I smiled when he groaned and opened his eyes slowly. He looked at me for a second before pressing a small kiss to the skin over my larynx. I smiled again as I pressed a kiss of my own to his forehead.

"Morning, Field Mouse," he mumbled. "You look radiant as always. Something seems different today, though. I can't quite place it, but it's there. Can we stay like this the rest of the day?"

"Morning to you, too, Sleeping Beauty. Thanks for the compliment. I _FEEL_ better today than I did yesterday. Today will be one of our days off together. I still want to see the city when the chance should arise for some free time. Oh, great!"

My stomach started rolling and a wave of nausea hit me hard. I stumbled to the bathroom and nearly hit my head on the edge of the sink when I felt Shiro's arms around me, holding me steady. He gently guided me to the toilet and held my hair away from my face while I threw up undigested bagels and half digested grapes and strawberries. When I felt that I could speak, I tried to make a joke out of it.

"Guess I spoke to soon about feeling better, huh? This could mean one of two things. One: I'm pregnant. Or two: I have a stomach virus. IF I'm pregnant, the morning sickness doesn't kick in until week six or later. IF I have a stomach virus, it will still take a few days for it to get this bad. Do you have a hospital around? I want to get checked out before anything creepy happens."

"Captain Unohana is a first class Healer and she usually stays close to her patients unless something more important comes up. She's in the Fourth Division Medical building close to General Yamamoto's quarters. I'll take you when you're not throwing up as much."

"Thanks, Snow White," I managed before heaving up more grapes and strawberries.

After the last upheaval, Shiro helped me to stand and I held onto his shoulders. He helped me into a lighter feeling version of the Soul Reaper uniform. I had to lean on his shoulders until we were out in the street. He picked me up bridal style and speed stepped toward the Fourth Division Medical Office. That's when a thought hit me.

"Shiro. How long does a pregnancy usually last here in Soul Society? If you don't know, then I could just ask Captain Unohana when we get to her office."

Shiro chuckled at me. "I'm not real sure. Unohana will be able to tell you all that you want to know about that when we get there. I wouldn't mind having kids with you, Mouse."

I laughed the rest of the way. The way he talked about her, I knew that she had to be good at what she did. Less than ten minutes later, we were walking into a building similar to the Tenth Division. The woman standing before me had a thick braid that started from behind her neck and joined together down her front almost to her feet. She had soft sad looking brown eyes and a gentle smile with a voice to match.

"What a pleasant surprise, Hitsugaya-Taichou," she greeted. "What can I do for you today?"

"Can you check her out, Retsu-san? She started throwing up this morning and neither one of knows what is wrong with her. The last thing she had to eat were bagels, grapes and strawberries. But that was yesterday morning for breakfast. Please, Retsu-san?"

His pleading got me into a private room. Unohana's hands began glowing a soft yellow green color as she ran them up and down my body. She stopped at my stomach twice as if she were double checking on a growing suspicion in her mind. When she stopped at my stomach a third time, the glow was gone from around her hands and she pressed down HARD. I yelped and grabbed onto Shiro's hand.

"She's pregnant. About four weeks along. How long have you two been sleeping together, Hitsugaya-Taichou?"

"The last couple nights. Why? How can she be pregnant? Have you slept with anyone in the last month, Mouse? If you have, I will rip his head off."

"What? Why? NO! I would never sleep with anyone until I know that they will treat me right. I never slept with Jack because God knows he gay and I have only slept with you the last two nights. By the way, Captain Unohana, how long does a pregnancy last here in Seireitei?"

"Anywhere between six and ten months. It's twice as painful here in Seireitei as it is in the human world. We need to get you registered at a pregnancy clinic in Karakura Town as soon as possible so that you have normal check ups until the baby is born. Deal? I will stop the nausea and dizziness as much as I can so that you can function normally while you are doing paperwork and going on weekly patrols."

I nodded as a darker green glow surrounded her hands. Three times over my stomach and lower abdomen and twice around my head. We both thanked her before leaving to meet up with Rangiku for lunch. I leaned on Shiro still because my knees were still a little wobbly after hearing the news and throwing up half my stomach that morning. Before we could make it in the door, a dark blue and royal purple butterfly landed on Shiro's free shoulder. He rolled his eyes as if to say, _What now?_

"Speak, little one," he told the small creature.

"Message from Momo Hinamori."

"Begin message."

"SHIRO-CHAN! BRING RAN AND YOUR NEW FRIEND TO THE WEST GATE. JIDANBO SAYS THAT HE HAS NEWS OF THE DEFECTORS. WE CAN EAT LUNCH WHILE HE GIVES US HIS NEWS. SEE YOU IN HALF AN HOUR, SHIRO-CHAN!"

With that, the butterfly flapped away leaving us standing there by the door with shocked looks on our faces. Shiro switched directions, picked me up bridal and speed stepped all the way to the West Gate to meet up with Momo, Rangiku and Jidanbo.

Twenty minutes later, I could make out four figures by a large wrought iron gate. I recognized Rangiku because of her bust and strawberry blonde mane and Momo because of her covered bun. The third figure was tall and had a navy blue hakama with the characters for WEST GATE KEEPER on the back while the fourth figure was dressed like Shiro only he had an overturned basket covering his head. I knew that the guy in the navy blue hakama was Jidanbo.

"Who is the guy with the basket on his head, Shiro? I already figured out which one is Jidanbo because of the writing on his back."

"The guy with the 'basket' on his head is Sajin Komamura. He was best friends with Kaname Tosen before the betrayal. Refer to him as Komamura-Taichou while in his presence. I don't want him to think that you have no manners, Field Mouse."

I rolled my eyes at his order and at his nickname for me. I had to smile though because my heart skipped a beat every time he called me "field mouse."I loved him so much. I still do to this day. After four years, he still calls me "field mouse." I tapped Rangiku on the shoulder and she jumped about a foot in the air. I laughed at her. A low barking caught my attention and I looked around for a dog of some kind. Sajin-san's shoulders were heaving up and down and Jidanbo was chuckling heartily. Shiro's mouth twitched before he cleared his throat to get everyone's attention back on the topic at hand.

"What do you have on Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen, Jidanbo? Give it up or I'll go Bankai on your ass here and now, Gate Keeper."

"The Freaky Three are planning on pulling out all the plugs this time around. The lower numbered Arrancars are gathering what they can before Aizen sends in the Espadas to get more for whatever the maniac has planned. Aizen is planning on using Kurosaki's home town to create one of those key things for himself. How he knows how to make it is beyond me, but I don't want anymore death and destruction than there has been the last year or so. Care for some pork buns and plums, young lady? I have plenty to spare."

"No thanks, Jidanbo-san," I answered. "I'm having a bit of trouble keeping anything in my stomach right now. Thanks, anyway though. Shiro, can we go now? The heat is unbearable with all the body heat mixed in. and I need something besides dirt to throw up in on top of all the heat."


	9. Ran and Gin LOVERS?

Chapter 9 – Ran and Gin … _LOVERS?_

He nodded and offered me his back. I climbed on shakily and wrapped my arms around his neck. Speed steeping the entire way, I knew that Shiro was thinking about his revenge against the Three Defectors of Soul Society. It wasn't until we were at the door to the Tenth Division building that he told me why Sajin-san was there. Rangiku was there for Ichimaru, Momo was there for Aizen and Jidanbo just because he was a source and the West Gate Keeper.

"Sajin-san was there because Kaname Tosen was his best friend. Their relationship was a little more complicated than that though because of how much time they spent together. Even I don't know all the details of that relationship. But to each his own. You will stay in bed until further notice from Unohana-Taichou. I'll get some tea and rice to help keep your stomach settled. Understood?"

"Thanks, Snow White," I said, throwing myself on the bed.

I was still dressed in the lighter Soul Reaper uniform and I decided that it was much more comfortable that the regular one. Four days and I still wondered if Jack and Sally were worried about me. I had already missed two days worth of AP classes. I had also missed three practices for our game that Friday night. Shiro kicked the door open, a tray in his hands. I saw a heaping bowl of rice and a pot of tea alongside two cups. He settled the tray across my thighs before picking up one of the two sets of chopsticks. They looked to have Bamboo on the top half and dark stained Cherry wood on the bottom half separated by a thin silver band. He poured tea into the two cups before attacking the rice. I had to smile at his childish enthusiasm over the rice before him.

"I love watching you," I told him, picking up the other chopsticks. "You always look like a child whenever you don't get your coffee or aren't in one of your moods. It scares me though when you want revenge on someone."

"Thanks, Field Mouse," he said, his cheeks slightly rounded from being stuffed with rice. "Looking at you is like looking at a dream come true. Care for some rice, Mouse?"

I nodded and looked at the chopsticks in my hands. They were a red stained dogwood with what looked like darker red flames crawling toward the round top half from the half way point. Fitting enough considering the upcoming mood swings. I took a bite of rice before my curiosity got the better of me.

"Hey, Shiro. What was the relationship between Rangiku and Ichimaru? Every time I hear Ichimaru's name and Ran is around, she always goes for the sake. I want to know the _real_ relationship."

"They knew each other as kids. He saved her from starvation in the bad part of Rukongai. They entered the Academy together and graduated within a month of each other. Things got hot and heavy for a while but not before Gin found out about Aizen and his own sexual preferences. He was originally under Aizen in the Fifth Division before he got the job for Captain of the Third. After that, they never saw each other much. He broke her heart when he defected with Aizen and Tosen. She told me one night when she got too drunk to keep her mouth shut. I promised him that if he ever came near her or Momo and did anything to make them bleed or unhappy, he would pay with his life. Happy?"

"I understand," I murmured. "Do you even know if Yama-Ji will let you anywhere near the battle zone because of that? I wouldn't want to lose you when we have become so happy with each other. I don't want to be the one to hold you back if you really want to fight. If you do, don't you dare die on me, Toshiro Hitsugaya. Do you understand me?"

He cupped my cheek with his left hand, smiling genuinely at me. "I want to fight. I want to keep you and our child safe. I will lose my mind if I lose either one of you. This is a new beginning for both of us and there is nothing that I wouldn't do to keep you with me. My heart will freeze and shatter if I don't have either one of you by my side when this war is over."

"I am yours now and forever, Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya. We will stand with you, no matter what kind of tricks Aizen manages to pull. War or not, we will always be by your side, Shiro. If you die and I can't kill Aizen on my own, then I will carry on your memory for both me and our child so that they may know their father. When this war is over, I want to marry you. I want the rest of my life to be spent with you here in Seireitei."

He stretched across the tray to kiss me when Jinta, Kisuke's Boy Wonder, burst in and he was panting as if he had just run a mile. He was trying to tell us something around his large gasps for breath.

"Jinta-kun, calm down and breathe," I told the ten-year-old boy. "When you have caught your breathe, then tell what's going on."

"Espadas. Over Karakura Town. Ichigo is trying fight off Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. There are five others that are there with Grimmjow. Come quickly!"

Shiro looked at me, then back at the still panting boy at the door. He nodded and pulled on his full uniform. He looked at me like he wanted me to stay behind but I just gave a look that said if he didn't let me go with him, he would regret it the rest of his life. He rolled his eyes and nodded at Jinta to lead the way. I quickly changed into my own uniform before following the man I loved and Kisuke's ten-year-old messenger boy. I heard Shiro mutter something about stubborn women and finding love at the wrong time. I smiled at the back of his head.

"When this is done, we need to pick out names for our kid. I think that Gran-Gran still had that book of baby names the she had originally gotten for me and Momo. I guess that she thinks that Momo and I will still get together one day before she croaks. Stupid old hag."

"Key words being _'when this is over'_," I said. "I wouldn't be surprised if this war will even be over considering all of the stuff that Aizen has put everyone through and all the paperwork that needs to be filled out. And here we are trying pick out names for babies right in the middle of it all. I would laugh but this is too serious."

Shiro just snorted and Jinta sniggered at our bickering. A sky-rip opened in front of us and I could see a sliver of Karakura Town before me. We stepped through and the rip closed itself up. The entire town stretched all around me in every direction. I marveled at it for a minute before someone came right at us with a sword pointed at Shiro's chest. The mask covering his left eye looked like bleached (a/n: pardon the pun!) bone. The rest sat on top of his head and whittled out to a sharp point out over his right ear.

"Perfect timing, Toshiro-Kun! And you brought friends I see," he sneered. "I am Shawlong Quafong. Arrancar number eleven. Grimmjow told us to keep you busy while he battled that orange-haired brat, Kurosaki. Now prepare to die, Soul Reaper!"

He came at us again, only this time he was aiming at me and Jinta. Shiro managed to get in front of us and block the blow meant for the ten-year-old boy next to me. He shot me a look over his shoulder telling me to get Jinta back to the Urahara Shoten so that both of us could stay out of danger. I nodded at him and grabbed the boy's hand, speed stepping all the way to the shop owned by the former Captain and his crew.

Why did I have to come along? I asked myself on the way there. Shiro should have ordered me to stay behind. But then again I guess that he wanted me to come so that I could see how Aizen is planning to take us down along with half of the town below me. I just wish that I weren't pregnant with that creep's kids! Damn him to hell and back three times over!

"Hatake-kun, we just passed the shop! We half to go back a few blocks!"

I noticed a sign a little ways behind me that read Urahara Shoten on the sign above the door. I snorted and turned on my heel, making my way back to the shop. As soon as I opened the door, I was pulled into a tight hug by the blonde shop keeper. Ururu was lying on the floor, a small yet deep wound on her abdomen just below the bottom of her ribcage. I sat down next to her and concentrated on something that I thought would help stop the bleeding. I closed my eyes while I worked on the simple healing spell I heard Unohana teach Shiro that morning. When I opened my eyes, the wound was practically healed with a slight scar appearing on her skin. Then I passed out.

"What's wrong with her, Kisuke-san?"

"She's fine. She used so much energy on trying to heal Ururu that she passed out from exhausting her spiritual powers. She should be coming around in a minute or so. Good thing you thought to find those smelling salts for me last night in case something like this happened, Tessai."

I heard a grunt that I took to be Tessai's way of thanking Kisuke for the compliment. I groaned, drawing everyone's attention to me. I tried to sit up but I quickly fell back against pillows because my head felt like it was about to split in two. I rubbed a hand over my eyes to try and keep the brunt force of the rooms lighting out of my sore eyeballs.

"How do you feel, Alex? Tessai managed to finish healing Ururu just after you passed out. Jinta, go get me some warm water and a clean rag!"

"My head feels like it's about to split in two. How long have I been out? Where's Shiro? I want to go back and help him defeat that Arrancar! Damn you, Kisuke! Let me go and help my Shiro!"

Kisuke was holding onto my wrist for dear life to keep me from leaving the store. He pulled me into another tight hug and I began crying into his rough layered hakama. I didn't know how long I cried until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned out of Kisuke's embrace and saw Shiro standing there with a slight cut over his eye. I pulled him close and held him there when I heard him mumble something. I pushed him to an arm's length away and asked him to repeat it.

"We have to help Ichigo against Jeagerjaques if we can, Mouse. Hold the fort down until we get back, Urahara-Taichou!"

I followed Shiro until he stopped me just below two people in the sky above us. One I recognized as Ichigo. The other one had grayish blue hair, blue eyes and bright green eye shadow on his bottom lid that made Shiro's eyes look tame. The exposed bone that covered his right cheek was really starting to creep me out. That had to be Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. I growled low in my throat and Shiro shot me a look. Just as I was about to jump and join the battle against the Espada, a sky-rip opened behind Grimmjow. A dark skinned biker type stepped out and laid a hand on the Espada's shoulder and whispered something to him. He said something to Ichigo that seemed to piss the teen off more than not being able to follow Renji the previous Saturday.

"What?! You can't just come here and attack us and then just leave!! You have got to be kidding! Come back here! We're not finished yet!"

"Not finished? Tosen just saved your life, Soul Reaper! It's obvious that move of yours takes a toll on you. You'd be lucky if you could do it three more times. But even if you could do it a hundred times, you still couldn't defeat me while I am in Release Mode."

"Release Mode?"

"Don't forget my name. And pray that you never hear it again. Grimmjow Jeagerjaques! Next time you hear that name, you're dead meat, Soul Reaper!"

The sky-rip closed after the last comment from Jeagerjaques. Ichigo stood where he was, cracked and broken pavement all around him. Renji stepped up behind him.

"The Arrancars returned to Hueco Mundo, huh? You won."

"I lost."

"Fool. If you're alive, then you won."

"Stop. You know better. If you were me, you'd feel the same way. I didn't protect anyone. I couldn't defeat our enemies. I lost to Grimmjow."

We followed then to a nearby rooftop where Orihime, a red-head with big boobs, as healing a girl about Shiro's height with black hair, a strand hanging across her face. Ichigo looked at the black haired girl with a sort of blank look on his face.

"What's that look for? You feel responsible for my injuries? Give me a break! My injuries were my own fault. Now stop sulking!"

"Okay."

"If you're worried about the Hollow inside you, why don't you talk to Urahara about it? He trained you. He might know something."

"It's no use talking to him. Urahara already knows what's going on with me. Besides, if he knew how to fix it, he would have said something before we went to Soul Society. So he probably doesn't know how to suppress it either. He trained me and I am grateful for that. I don't want to bother him with any more of my problems."

"How sad," I said sarcastically. "_Like she said_, why not ask him anyway?"

He turned to me and scowled. "_Like I said_, he probably won't know how to suppress it. I want to leave it at that. I'm going home for a few minutes. I have other plans, so don't bother looking for me."

With that, he jumped off the rooftop. Rukia, the black-haired girl, went to follow him but was stopped by Renji. Shiro walked to the opposite edge and squatted, glaring at me. I knew then that he wanted me to ride piggy-back for the return trip back to the shop. Renji did the same with Rukia. Before long, we had arrived at the storefront, Kisuke standing on the front steps and Jinta trying to get Ururu to celebrate the small victory on the rooftop. The Soul Reapers nodded to each other and Kisuke smiled at me. I returned his smile, only it turned out more like twitching in a sorry attempt at the gesture.

"Shiro? I want to go back to Soul Society. I'm sure that Unohana wants to give me another daily check-up after all that's gone down in the last few hours. Please?"

All he did was look at me before turning toward Kisuke, who just so happened to have a folder tucked under his left arm. That could mean only one thing: registration at a pregnancy clinic. I guessed that my trip back to Soul Society would have to wait until the next day, which was Saturday. I had been gone for a week and I still have to bring up the whole thing up about missing classes and soccer practice and the game that was to take place that night against a rival school. Then it hit me like a wave of something. I needed Soul Candy for my limp form back at my place.

"Hey, Kisuke! I need to get back to the states so that I can get my Body to do my work for me while I am here with you guys. Besides, I still have to get in touch with Jack and Sally. I know that they are worried about me so I need to tell them that I'm okay and that I will be missing the game tonight. If I can't go back to the states, then can I at least use a long distance phone or something?"

The hatted blonde handed me a cell phone and I saw that it was equipped to work in and out of the states. I quickly dialed Jack because I knew that Sally would be with him even though she still to worry about taking care of her twin brothers. The phone didn't even get through the first ring when Sally picked it up.

"Alex! Thank God! Are you alright? Where are you? You need to come back for the game tonight otherwise you're off the team. Tell us where you are so that we can tell Coach that you were sick with a stomach virus or the flu."

"Sally, I'm fine! Calm down, chickadee. I promise that I'm fine. I'm in Japan with Shiro and a few friends right now. Tell Coach that I will be there bright and early for Monday morning practice. Put Jack on the phone so that I can tell him something. Hey, Jack! Look I need you to go to my place and do something very important for me. It's hard to explain everything right now but I will explain everything when I get back. What I need you to do is this…"

"Explain it now or I won't do it, Alex! Both sets of our parents are just as worried about you as we are, sweetie. So spill the beans, girlie!"

"Let me talk to you in a few hours. I'll be around soon. I'll explain it when I get there."

I hung up before he could object. I knew that he was getting red in the face and I actually smiled at the thought of my best guy friend being pissed off at me.

"I need to get back to the states. I need help to explain what's going on to my friends and their families so that they don't worry about me any more than they already have. Shiro, I want you and Red to come with me. Kisuke, tell Yama-Ji about the whole situation. Rukia, help Kisuke around here. AND FIND ICHIGO! I know that he said he didn't want to be bothered, but I need him to pull the American Soul Society together for this. NOW!"

"You heard her, people! Renji, I thought that you were supposed to be watching over them and their families. Anyway, it's not my problem that your attention span is shorter than an eyelash. Now let's move out and get Mouse home."

I looked at Shiro lovingly before we went back outside to catch the next sky-rip back to Northern California. As soon as we stepped outside the little shop, I stopped cold in my tracks to see a man standing there. He had silver hair, slitted eyes and a wide grin on his face that sent shivers down my spine. This was Gin Ichimaru, the first of Aizen's spies that he sent after me in Redding.

"The mouse is going nowhere except with me back to Hueco Mundo. Technically speaking, she's dead, so she can't go back to her perfect little hometown without speaking with Aizen first. Isn't that right, Little Mouse?"

"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!"

I drew my sword and swung it in a wide enough arc to slice the front of Gin's uniform. When I saw the blood soaking into his black hakama, I knew that I had gotten close enough to also cut through his pale porcelain skin.

"I knew that there was something different about her. Wouldn't you agree, Toshiro? Aizen will be pleased with this new little development. Until a later time then."

He disappeared into a sky-rip, supposedly to tell Aizen about the whole little escapade.

"What a son of a bitch," I muttered when he was gone. "I still want to go home to explain stuff to Jack and Sally. If Aizen sends one of those weirdoes after me, then I will fight, regardless of my condition with these kids. Come on, Red. Care to join us, Shiro?"

The short stack ice wielder nodded and a sky-rip to Northern California opened. I stepped through it to see my wonderful hometown of Redding, California, sprawled beneath me. I quickly picked out my apartment building and speed stepped toward it, Shiro and Renji behind me. I phased through the bathroom wall to see my limp form lying in the tub. That is when I noticed that Kon and the other two Mod Souls in Shiro and Renji's bodies were being a little too quiet. I slowly drew my sword and held it in front of me when Shiro pushed it down by the blunt side of the blade. I gave him a questioning look but he just shook his head.

"Someone else is here," he muttered over his shoulder at Renji. "I can't tell who but there is someone that is keeping our Mod Souls utterly quiet. Stay in here, Mouse, and get back in your body. Whoever is here doesn't need to know that you are a Soul Reaper. Understood?"

I rolled my eyes but nodded anyway. "Yeah. Just don't do anything brash or stupid, Shiro. I can't stand to lose you right now. Keep an eye on him, Red."

The tall red-head nodded and the two men walked into the living room. The sound that greeted my ears was a loud squealing and several rapid fire questions from my two best friends. I dropped into my body and exited the bathroom to see that Jack and Sally were practically ringing the necks of Shiro and Renji, respectively. I cleared my throat and four sets of eyes landed on me. I smiled and waved at Jack and Sally to let the two Soul Reapers go. They did but not before attacking me with their crazy questioning antics. I had to push them off of me with a death glare and a simple Kido spell that I got off Yoruichi. They were pinned to the walls on either side of the kitchen entryway, their eyes darting around.

"Will you two nerds calm down? See? I'm fine! Now calm down and we can talk everything over after the game tonight. I'm participating in that game, regardless of what Coach might do to me. Now, let's get ready to smash our opponents like we did the Turtles last week."

Shiro muttered the counter spell and my two friends were released from their positions. They nodded and practically glared at me while I went to go and change into my still dirty uniform from the week before. Kon was lying on my bed while Shiro's Mod Soul was on the floor closest to the door with Renji's Mod Soul on the other side of the bed by the closet. I snorted at the sight of the three snoring sleeping beauties. I stepped around Shiro's body and grabbed my uniform out of the laundry basket before going back to the bathroom to change. I hated the feel of week old sweat but I had to do this for the sake of my position on the team. By the time I was changed and in the living room, Shiro and Renji were sitting on the couch with Jack and Sally on the floor by the door to the porch.

"What's up, People? You look like you just came from a funeral or something. Come on, guys. I want to come back here and do some laundry before going back to Japan for something."

"It's you, Alex," Jack said. "Toshiro told us everything, from what happened last Saturday till what happened outside of Urahara's shop earlier. And as you already know, you missed this week's classes and practices. I had to explain to all of our teachers that you were out with a stomach flu and wouldn't be back until Monday. I told Coach the same thing. So you have like a stack of homework and about a month's worth the practices to catch up on, Girly."

"Thanks, Jack," I told him. "Now I know why you are one of my best friends. I'll deal with my homework when I get done with Japan and I will be here for practice every day regardless of what my other duties are. I promise, Jackie Boy. And when I make a promise…"

"You stay true to your word," Sally piped in.


	10. Taking Care of Business

Chapter 10 – Taking Care of Business

I nodded at my two friends and we left to get to the soccer field. I trusted Shiro and Renji to take care of things while I was gone so I glared at them until the door was completely closed behind me.

By the time we made it to the field, a sharp pain shot from my abdomen area. I doubled over, gasping for breath and grabbing at my stomach. Jack and Sally looped their arms under my pits and quickly escorted me under the bleachers so that nobody would see too much of what was going on. I dry heaved a couple of times before I straightened up and waved my two friends away. I felt lightheaded from lack of decent food so I pulled out a granola bar from my bag. I munched on it until the light airy felling in my head went away. I looked at Jack first knowing that he would be the most worried and smiled at him.

"Thanks for all the understanding, guys," I said, pulling both into a tight hug. "I wish that I could have come back sooner but I had things to take care of. Besides, if not for my love of Redding and soccer and everything else, I would never have come back in the first place. When the game is over I want to ask both of you something that is very important to me. Now let's beat this team and get it done and over with before I fall over from jetlag."

They both nodded and helped me to get my stuff to the locker room.

By the time I was really ready for the game, it had already started and Coach was keeping me benched until the last two or three minutes of the game. I was getting fidgety and I was wringing the towel in my hands until I was sure that it wouldn't twist anymore. I grabbed a cup from one of the water people and gulped down the watery substance before wringing the cup into a twisted counterpart of its former glory.

After an hour of hard play, Coach put me in and benched Jack in my place. I scooted around a few of the opposing team's players and made my way to the goal. I shot a quick look at Sally and she nodded once to let me know that I could get it to her and that she could get it past their goalie. I dribbled the ball a little more before passing it to my friend. She dribbled it the rest of the way down the field before kicking it hard enough as to where it shot past the goalie before he even had a chance to react. We did our little victory dance in the middle of the field when the buzzer went off. I doubled over in pain as the sound echoed and reverberated through my skull.

"Alex, what's wrong? You look like you're in pain from something. First the pain in your stomach then this stuff with you grabbing your head."

"Leave me be for a minute and don't touch me! Please just leave me be!!"

I felt someone standing over me. Something told me that it was Coach. I felt strong arms lift me up off the ground and begin walking toward the school parking lot.

A few minutes later, bright white lights leaked past my eyelids. I tried desperately to cover my eyes but my hands were strapped to my sides on the rolling bed that I knew that I was on. I slowly opened my eyes to watch the lights overhead flash by. I turned my head to the left a little to see that Shiro was there, a worried look on his face. I tried to smile at him but my face wouldn't comply with the brainwaves that I was sending it. I would have asked him what happened but my voice wouldn't work either.

"Your ears are bleeding and you haven't rested properly for at least a week, Mouse. As soon as I heard what happened, your coach called to the apartment and told me what happened. Renji, Ichigo, Sally and Jack are here with me. Besides, Retsu-san wanted you to get checked into a clinic or hospital for your checkups. I guess that you might be here for a while. Rangiku and I can handle all of your duties as third seat as well as ours until you get back on your feet, Mouse."

I mentally thanked him for all that he did for me while I stayed with him in Seireitei. He smiled sweetly at me and nodded at my mental thanks. They wheeled me into a room and got me onto a bed before hooking me up to the usual clutter of machines that everyone in a hospital bed was usually hooked up to. Shiro closed his hand over mine and squeezed letting me know that he would be there until either I woke up or he himself fell asleep.

The next thing I remember is the sunlight streaming in through the open blinds, the glass acting as a natural warmth enhancer. I looked at the chair next to my bed to see that Shiro was sitting there, asleep with his mouth slightly open and soft snores reaching my ears. I leaned forward and tapped him on the knee. He jerked at the contact, looking around to see if anyone of any kind of threat was in the room. His eyes landed on me and he smiled genuinely.

"Morning, Mouse," he whispered hoarsely. "Guess this means that you're feeling better? Everyone has been worried about you the last three days or so. Of course, I have been here the entire time to make sure that you didn't go off sleep walking."

"Yeah, I do. How long was I out? Besides, the only time someone is out for three days is if they are under extremely heavy anesthesia. And trust me, I would know if I were sleep walking or not."

"You were out for a good four days, Mouse. I got your school work from Jack and Sally and your soccer coach says that you are to stay home until you are absolutely sure that you can handle being back in the game. I promised him that I would keep an eye on you."

I smiled again at my lover before I started laughing at the stern yet loving look that he had given me a week and a half before when Yoruichi-san took me out for Bankai training. I rolled my eyes as Shiro came in for a kiss. I allowed his lips to cover mine before shoving my tongue into his mouth, quickly conquering his in battle. Before pulling away, I felt something small, cylindrical and pointy enter the crook on my right arm at my elbow.

"Ow," I said, nearly biting Shiro's tongue off. "What are you doing, Snow White?"

"Retsu-san needs blood so that she can replicate it. She says that you might need it when the time comes. I promised her that I would get it only because she knows how close we are and how trusting you are of me and my word."

I made small O with my lips at this explanation and nodded in agreement. "So what did the doctors say while I was out cold? Has any harm come to the child that I am carrying? Please tell me, Snow White! I have to know!"

"You're fine and so are the kids, Mouse. As it turns out, you have quintuplets. Looks like we'll have to pick out five names rather that just the usual one or two. There. All finished with that little detail, so now all we have to do is wait for your strength to come back and then we can leave out of here. Does that sound like a good plan, Mouse?"

I nodded at him a second time, a painfully happy smile plastered on my lips.


End file.
